‘Thank you!’ Porthcawl couple’s relief as home is made safe | News …

“We are so thankful for the help of friends, family and total strangers who have contributed to our friend Linda Campbell’s crowdfunding campaign.”

A Porthcawl couple have been overwhelmed by kind donations to make their house safe after a builder failed to complete a loft conversion and left them more than £25,000 out of pocket.

Bee and Tony Bennett, who are in their seventies and have health problems, had dreamed of adding an attic bedroom and ensuite bathroom to their house after Bee was left with a small legacy by her father.

Bee explained: “The builder failed to begin work for months and then partly built two dormers. He took £25,000 of our money and never returned.

“We found out the house is unstable and needs to be shored up followed by major repairs.”

Their friend Linda Campbell was so shocked by their predicament that she started a ‘Go Fund Me’ page to help with vital repairs to ensure the safety of the house.

She explained: “Bee and Tony are faced with huge costs to make their home structurally safe.

“The building inspector has said that no-one should enter the attic until a structural engineer has assessed what is necessary to make it safe and prevent a major collapse.

“They have been advised that this work is likely to cost more than they have already paid out and they simply have no funds left to do this.

“Both the Trading Standards Authority and Police are investigating this case but, even if the builder were to be charged, this would neither allow them to recover their losses nor repair their home.”

In less than a month £3,000 has been donated by kind-hearted people. It is being used to make sure the house is safe to live in.

The last thing the couple need is the stress and worry of whether their home is safe to live in.

Bee suffers from a rare degenerative auto immune condition (mitochondrial dysfunction) which leaves her very short of energy and unable to walk any distance. Tony, who is Bee’s carer, suffers from a neurological condition leaving him in constant pain.

Tony said: “We are so thankful for the help of friends, family and total strangers who have contributed to our friend Linda Campbell’s crowdfunding campaign.

“We have to undo everything the builder has done and start again; it’s heart-breaking and expensive.

“If you are someone who has contributed thank you so much. We will soon at least be safe and dry again but reaching the target of our damaged house being liveable and saleable is a mountain yet to climb.”

If people would like to donate to help Bee and Tony they should go to: